BlackBerry 10’s Android App Porting Conundrum

BlackBerry 10 has a very unique feature, unlike any other operating system. It allows for the open source Android JVM, which lets Android apps effectively operate within BlackBerry 10.

BlackBerry has made it extremely easy to port Android apps to BlackBerry 10. They’ve made it almost too easy. This has unfortunately opened up a slight conundrum for developers.

Anyone and their mother can port Android apps to BlackBerry 10. Using one of the online converters or using their own signing keys will do the trick.

For the most part, in order to install those rogue Android ports one would have to side-load the apps themselves. It is then BlackBerry’s responsibility to safeguard consumers and developers from the pirated apps from reaching BlackBerry World.

This wasn’t the case with the recently published ‘Words’ game for BlackBerry 10. Most of you may know the game as ‘Words with Friends’, the hugely popular title from Zynga. But, the ‘Words’ game in BlackBerry World isn’t from Zynga, officially.

Zynga has yet to formally announce or deny any support for BlackBerry 10. Though, it would be a mistake on their part for not supporting the operating system, but why should they when pirated copies of their apps are approved in BlackBerry World?

We must help keep BlackBerry to a higher standard. Allowing things like this to get bypassed the “rigorous” approval process will only make developers look elsewhere. Shut down this developer, BlackBerry, pronto!